U.S. sales of the Nissan Rogue crossover set a monthly record of 29,246, up 26 percent, in June, Nissan said. Photo credit: DAVID PHILLIPS

Nissan, Ford, Fiat Chrysler, Hyundai-Kia and American Honda rode strong demand for trucks in posting solid sales gains in June as the U.S. auto industry rebounded from a May slump.

Industry volume rose 2.4 percent to 1.5 million new cars and light trucks — below most projections. And the seasonally adjusted annual sales rate came in at 16.68 million, below a consensus forecast of 17.2 million, and below the 17.01 million rate in June 2015 and May’s 17.46 million pace.

Automakers and analysts are counting on historically low interest rates, stable fuel prices, rising wages and near-full employment to counter some headwinds and continue driving strong auto sales in the second half of the year.

Light trucks, helped by improved fuel economy and low gasoline prices, continue to propel the U.S. market, which set a record in 2015.

“In spite of some severe stock market volatility in June, the American consumer stayed focus on buying new vehicles,” Reid Bigland, senior vice president of sales for FCA North America, said in a statement.

The Jeep brand has set a U.S. sales record in every month dating back to November 2013.Photo credit: DAVID PHILLIPS

FCA US, behind another record for Jeep and generous discounts, saw June deliveries rise 6.5 percent.

Jeep sales jumped 17 percent to 83,691 for a June record. Volume climbed 14 percent at the Ram brand and 3.1 percent at Dodge, but sales slipped 20 percent at the Chrysler brand and 19 percent at Fiat.

Fiat Chrysler’s average new-vehicle incentive in the U.S. rose 21 percent to $4,101 last month, compared with June 2015, TrueCar estimates.

American Honda Motor Co. reported sales of 138,715 for a year-over-year gain of 3.2 percent on record light truck volume for the month. Volume jumped 7.1 percent at the Honda division but slipped 27 percent at Acura.

At Kia Motors America, deliveries rose 16 percent to 62,572 vehicles — a June record. Hyundai also set a June sales record of 67,511 cars and light trucks, for a slight gain.

Sales at Volkswagen slid 22 percent to 23,809, extending the embattled brand’s losing streak to eight straight months. VW has been unable to sell new diesel models since September amid violations of U.S. emissions rules.

Audi of America notched its 66th-straight monthly U.S. sales record in June as deliveries rose 1 percent to 18,445 vehicles on a 29 percent jump in crossover sales. Among other luxury brands, volume rose 3.5 percent at Mercedes-Benz, 23 percent at Land Rover 125 percent at Jaguar and 41 percent at Volvo. At BMW, deliveries slipped for the seventh straight month, falling 10 percent in June to 28,855.

Subaru streak

Subaru set a June sales record with volume of 46,598 vehicles, an increase of 5.1 percent and the 55th consecutive month the brand has generated year over year gains.

With increased availability of the Legacy and Outback, Subaru executives expect the brand to finish the year stronger than it performed in the first six months, when volume rose 2.6 percent to 279,458 cars and light trucks.

“We can be very happy with our half-year performance which will set us up well for the second half of 2016,” said Jeff Walters, senior vice president of sales for Subaru of America.

Among major automakers, the average incentive last month rose 8.6 percent to $3,116 from $2,871 in June 2016. BMW dangled the biggest spiffs while Subaru offered the lowest discounts, TrueCar estimates.

Through June, U.S. light-vehicle demand has risen 1.4 percent, though some analysts say prospects for another record year are diminishing amid signs of weakening job growth and Brexit-spooked financial markets.

“There certainly is a higher probability of having a slightly down year than there was a month ago,” Jeff Schuster, an analyst with research firm LMC Automotive, told Bloomberg News this week. “It’s no longer just a leveling off — it’s a potential contraction in the second half of the year.”

Before U.K. citizens voted a week ago to leave the European Union, RBC Capital Markets flipped from predicting 2016 U.S. sales would top last year’s record 17.5 million vehicles to forecasting a 1 percent drop. Bank of America Merrill Lynch lopped its estimate by a half-million vehicles.

The vote in the U.K. triggered a two-day global stock market rout — the kind of event that makes car shoppers less confident about their finances. U.S. equity markets have rebounded this week.

Some analysts also believe a rise in inventories of late-model, off-lease used vehicles could pull shoppers away from new cars and light trucks in coming months.

That rise – powered by an increase in leasing that began about three years ago – is expected to accelerate in the second half and continue for several years.

One of Central Pennsylvania’s newest public-company leaders is poised to become one of the region’s newest residents.

Don Maier, president and CEO of newly launched Armstrong Flooring Inc., on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on April 6. – (Photo/Submitted)

Don Maier is president and CEO of Armstrong Flooring Inc., which separated over the last week from Armstrong World Industries Inc. Although Maier has been an executive atArmstrong World since 2010, he has been living outside Cincinnati with his wife, Susan, and two daughters.

“That’s a long commute,” said Maier.

The Ohio native stayed put because he had accepted what was then a three-year assignment. And because of his role in company operations, he was often traveling anyway.

Six years later, after his younger daughter graduates high school, Maier and his wife will be moving to a home they bought in Manheim Township, he said. His older daughter attends the University of Cincinnati, where she is studying graphic design.

“My career obviously has changed now and I’m much less of a road warrior,” Maier said. “I look forward to being able to have dinner with my family and being home.”

He’s also looking forward to sampling what Lancaster County has to offer. “It’s been exciting to see the Lancaster area evolve over the last six years,” he said. “I think the downtown area and all of the improvements that have been made down there, it’s a real exciting place.”

Maier spoke to the Business Journal on April, the day he rang the closing bell on the New York Stock Exchange. Shares in Armstrong Flooring began trading April 4.

Based in Manheim Township, Lancaster County, Armstrong Flooring has 3,700 employees and annual revenue of about $1.2 billion. Competitors include Georgia-based Shaw Industries Group Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company, which reportedly has more than $4 billion in annual sales, and Georgia-based Mohawk Industries, which has roughly $8 billion in annual sales.

Hit the floor running

Before the separation, Maier was CEO of Armstrong’s flooring division. He’s excited to lead it as a standalone company.

“This is sort of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” he said. “It’s just such an honor to be in this position, to be in a brand-new startup company that has a 150-year legacy behind it.”

It’s not an easy position. Like many companies in the business of construction and building products, Armstrong took a hit during the downturn and is looking for more solid footing.

Maier’s goal is to spur revenue growth through product innovation and improved service to the people and companies that sell Armstrong products.

“When I went into this role a little over a year ago as the CEO before we separated, what I really found was a business that had great assets, great brands, great products but was not really driving the top line like it needed to,” he said.

Recent innovations include new vinyl flooring products with cultured diamonds incorporated in the surface coating. The diamonds increase durability and resistance to scratching. Marketed as Diamond10, the coating also is designed to repel liquids.

“Were very excited about that,” Maier said, noting that the coating is likely to be applied to other kinds of flooring. “You’ll see Diamond10 on wood products, tile products, sheet products.”

Valuing relationships

But Armstrong also is focused on shoring up relations with independent retailers and distributors. They represent the remaining 60 percent of sales for the industry.

“We see a lot of opportunities by serving that channel much better than we have,” Maier said, noting in particular the value of relationships between distributors and retailers.

“That’s a real, I think, competitive advantage,” he said. “The Shaws and Mohawks of the world are primarily direct-sales model. We like the penetration and the relationships that the distributors bring.”

But independent retailers can take time to explain to customers the value of Armstrong products, Maier said. “It’s difficult to do in a big-box environment where there’s a fairly low touch with sales.”

The long commute and responsibilities related to the corporate separation have kept Maier from community involvement. But he expects to do more as time goes on.

In the meantime, he said, the new company is creating a foundation, similar to the existingArmstrong World Industries Foundation established in 1985. The Armstrong Flooring Foundation will start with funding of $750,000, Maier said.

“Hopefully I’ll be able to give back more of my personal time to the community down the road,” he said.

Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman warns homeowners to avoid falling for a roofer’s “too-good-to-be-true” offer and becoming an “April fool.”

The “fly-by-night” contractor will take a homeowner’s hard-earned money and leave without completing a roofing job or even buying the shingles, according to a news release Friday by Coffman’s spokesman Roger Hudson.

Following record snow falls in March, roofing scams are expected to increase in April and May, Hudson’s news release says. Coffman said her office fielded more than 100 complaints about possibly shady roofers in 2015.

“Many of these unlicensed roofing companies will canvas an entire neighborhood following large snow, hail, or rainstorm. They pitch a limited time ‘special offer’ and promise to do repairs that either never get done or cause real damage to a homeowner’s roof,” Coffman said.

She cautioned homeowners to do their homework and not fall for high pressure sales tactics.

“Remember, if a deal sound too good to be true… it probably is,” she said.

Coffman offered some consumer tips to avoid roofing scams:

• Never allow an uninvited contractor to inspect your roof or to contact your insurance company directly.

• Say no to contractors requesting an immediate decision.

• Contact insurer before spending a significant amount of money on a new roof.

• Arrange to have an authorized adjuster come to your home.

• Obtain at least three bids from different contractors and check each one with organizations like your local Better Business Bureau.

Bad contractors will do shoddy work, often damaging property, and delay completing the work, according to Coffman.

Roofers must provide a written contract with his contact information, give approximate dates and costs of service and identify his contractor’s surety and liability coverage insurer. Homeowners have up to 72 hours to rescind the contract.

We would like to take this opportunity to announce the opening of Dublin’s newest car dealership. Cash for cars Ireland offers to buy older cars from their owners making the whole process as quick and pain free as possible. Here are the top 3 things to do when selling your car:

3.) Be brutally honest

Selling a car is a big process; you have to get your car looking nice, you have to write a…Read more

Why: Do not try and hide any problems with your car. If you pretend it’s a 100-point show queen, any buyer will immediately lose trust in you when they spot all the rusts, the scrapes, the weak A/C, and every other little weakness.

No matter what, your ad should include these details:

Engine size/type
Transmission type
# of miles
Any major damage
Any failed parts
Any positive qualities unique to your vehicle
New parts you have recently installed
Price and your state of negotiation

2.) Get a bill of sale

Selling a car is a big process; you have to get your car looking nice, you have to write a…Read more

Why: The legalities of selling a car vary from state to state and can be confusing. Let’s break it down.

A bill of sale is not required by all states to legally transfer ownership of your car, but it makes the sale explicit by identifying what car you’re selling, and conditions attached to the sale, and the agreed price.

Your state may probably require you to go through the DMV. A state-by-state breakdown of what forms you need can be found online, here. Fill all this out before showing up to the DMV, lest it turn into a horror story.

A bill of sale should include:
Your name and address
The buyer’s name and address
The vehicle identification number (VIN)
Year, make, and model
Odometer reading
Purchase price
Date of sale
The phrase “sold as is,” unless you have agreed to something else
Your signature and the buyer’s signature

1.) Cut the cord

Selling a car is a big process; you have to get your car looking nice, you have to write a…Read more

Why: Once you’re done sobbing and drinking the pain away, you need to remove yourself emotionally from your car. You will get a better price, and you will sell your car faster, as reader ClayW explains.

As soon as you put a “For Sale” sign in the window, pretend that it’s no longer your car. You can’t be too particular about who wants to buy it or what their plans might be for your baby — You’re going to sell it to the first person that shows up with cash for your car and then you’re going to forget it.

Don’t hold out for the well-heeled buyer that’s going to continue your restoration and/or baby your baby. Don’t worry about whether or not it’s going to get regularly cleaned and waxed. Don’t make the guy promise to send you pictures in a year.

You can find Cashforcarsireland.com at their location listed in the map above and remember that theyalso offer a we buy any car service that can be very helpful when looking for a quick and hassel free way to sell your car.

U.S. sales of the Nissan Rogue crossover set a monthly record of 29,246, up 26 percent, in June, Nissan said. Photo credit: DAVID PHILLIPS

Nissan, Ford, Fiat Chrysler, Hyundai-Kia and American Honda rode strong demand for trucks in posting solid sales gains in June as the U.S. auto industry rebounded from a May slump.

Industry volume rose 2.4 percent to 1.5 million new cars and light trucks — below most projections. And the seasonally adjusted annual sales rate came in at 16.68 million, below a consensus forecast of 17.2 million, and below the 17.01 million rate in June 2015 and May’s 17.46 million pace.

Automakers and analysts are counting on historically low interest rates, stable fuel prices, rising wages and near-full employment to counter some headwinds and continue driving strong auto sales in the second half of the year.

Light trucks, helped by improved fuel economy and low gasoline prices, continue to propel the U.S. market, which set a record in 2015.

“In spite of some severe stock market volatility in June, the American consumer stayed focus on buying new vehicles,” Reid Bigland, senior vice president of sales for FCA North America, said in a statement.

The Jeep brand has set a U.S. sales record in every month dating back to November 2013.Photo credit: DAVID PHILLIPS

FCA US, behind another record for Jeep and generous discounts, saw June deliveries rise 6.5 percent.

Jeep sales jumped 17 percent to 83,691 for a June record. Volume climbed 14 percent at the Ram brand and 3.1 percent at Dodge, but sales slipped 20 percent at the Chrysler brand and 19 percent at Fiat.

Fiat Chrysler’s average new-vehicle incentive in the U.S. rose 21 percent to $4,101 last month, compared with June 2015, TrueCar estimates.

American Honda Motor Co. reported sales of 138,715 for a year-over-year gain of 3.2 percent on record light truck volume for the month. Volume jumped 7.1 percent at the Honda division but slipped 27 percent at Acura.

At Kia Motors America, deliveries rose 16 percent to 62,572 vehicles — a June record. Hyundai also set a June sales record of 67,511 cars and light trucks, for a slight gain.

Sales at Volkswagen slid 22 percent to 23,809, extending the embattled brand’s losing streak to eight straight months. VW has been unable to sell new diesel models since September amid violations of U.S. emissions rules.

Audi of America notched its 66th-straight monthly U.S. sales record in June as deliveries rose 1 percent to 18,445 vehicles on a 29 percent jump in crossover sales. Among other luxury brands, volume rose 3.5 percent at Mercedes-Benz, 23 percent at Land Rover 125 percent at Jaguar and 41 percent at Volvo. At BMW, deliveries slipped for the seventh straight month, falling 10 percent in June to 28,855.

Subaru streak

Subaru set a June sales record with volume of 46,598 vehicles, an increase of 5.1 percent and the 55th consecutive month the brand has generated year over year gains.

With increased availability of the Legacy and Outback, Subaru executives expect the brand to finish the year stronger than it performed in the first six months, when volume rose 2.6 percent to 279,458 cars and light trucks.

“We can be very happy with our half-year performance which will set us up well for the second half of 2016,” said Jeff Walters, senior vice president of sales for Subaru of America.

Among major automakers, the average incentive last month rose 8.6 percent to $3,116 from $2,871 in June 2016. BMW dangled the biggest spiffs while Subaru offered the lowest discounts, TrueCar estimates.

Through June, U.S. light-vehicle demand has risen 1.4 percent, though some analysts say prospects for another record year are diminishing amid signs of weakening job growth and Brexit-spooked financial markets.

“There certainly is a higher probability of having a slightly down year than there was a month ago,” Jeff Schuster, an analyst with research firm LMC Automotive, told Bloomberg News this week. “It’s no longer just a leveling off — it’s a potential contraction in the second half of the year.”

Before U.K. citizens voted a week ago to leave the European Union, RBC Capital Markets flipped from predicting 2016 U.S. sales would top last year’s record 17.5 million vehicles to forecasting a 1 percent drop. Bank of America Merrill Lynch lopped its estimate by a half-million vehicles.

The vote in the U.K. triggered a two-day global stock market rout — the kind of event that makes car shoppers less confident about their finances. U.S. equity markets have rebounded this week.

Some analysts also believe a rise in inventories of late-model, off-lease used vehicles could pull shoppers away from new cars and light trucks in coming months.

That rise – powered by an increase in leasing that began about three years ago – is expected to accelerate in the second half and continue for several years.

One of Central Pennsylvania’s newest public-company leaders is poised to become one of the region’s newest residents.

Don Maier, president and CEO of newly launched Armstrong Flooring Inc., on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on April 6. – (Photo/Submitted)

Don Maier is president and CEO of Armstrong Flooring Inc., which separated over the last week from Armstrong World Industries Inc. Although Maier has been an executive atArmstrong World since 2010, he has been living outside Cincinnati with his wife, Susan, and two daughters.

“That’s a long commute,” said Maier.

The Ohio native stayed put because he had accepted what was then a three-year assignment. And because of his role in company operations, he was often traveling anyway.

Six years later, after his younger daughter graduates high school, Maier and his wife will be moving to a home they bought in Manheim Township, he said. His older daughter attends the University of Cincinnati, where she is studying graphic design.

“My career obviously has changed now and I’m much less of a road warrior,” Maier said. “I look forward to being able to have dinner with my family and being home.”

He’s also looking forward to sampling what Lancaster County has to offer. “It’s been exciting to see the Lancaster area evolve over the last six years,” he said. “I think the downtown area and all of the improvements that have been made down there, it’s a real exciting place.”

Maier spoke to the Business Journal on April, the day he rang the closing bell on the New York Stock Exchange. Shares in Armstrong Flooring began trading April 4.

Based in Manheim Township, Lancaster County, Armstrong Flooring has 3,700 employees and annual revenue of about $1.2 billion. Competitors include Georgia-based Shaw Industries Group Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company, which reportedly has more than $4 billion in annual sales, and Georgia-based Mohawk Industries, which has roughly $8 billion in annual sales.

Hit the floor running

Before the separation, Maier was CEO of Armstrong’s flooring division. He’s excited to lead it as a standalone company.

“This is sort of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” he said. “It’s just such an honor to be in this position, to be in a brand-new startup company that has a 150-year legacy behind it.”

It’s not an easy position. Like many companies in the business of construction and building products, Armstrong took a hit during the downturn and is looking for more solid footing.

Maier’s goal is to spur revenue growth through product innovation and improved service to the people and companies that sell Armstrong products.

“When I went into this role a little over a year ago as the CEO before we separated, what I really found was a business that had great assets, great brands, great products but was not really driving the top line like it needed to,” he said.

Recent innovations include new vinyl flooring products with cultured diamonds incorporated in the surface coating. The diamonds increase durability and resistance to scratching. Marketed as Diamond10, the coating also is designed to repel liquids.

“Were very excited about that,” Maier said, noting that the coating is likely to be applied to other kinds of flooring. “You’ll see Diamond10 on wood products, tile products, sheet products.”

Valuing relationships

But Armstrong also is focused on shoring up relations with independent retailers and distributors. They represent the remaining 60 percent of sales for the industry.

“We see a lot of opportunities by serving that channel much better than we have,” Maier said, noting in particular the value of relationships between distributors and retailers.

“That’s a real, I think, competitive advantage,” he said. “The Shaws and Mohawks of the world are primarily direct-sales model. We like the penetration and the relationships that the distributors bring.”

But independent retailers can take time to explain to customers the value of Armstrong products, Maier said. “It’s difficult to do in a big-box environment where there’s a fairly low touch with sales.”

The long commute and responsibilities related to the corporate separation have kept Maier from community involvement. But he expects to do more as time goes on.

In the meantime, he said, the new company is creating a foundation, similar to the existingArmstrong World Industries Foundation established in 1985. The Armstrong Flooring Foundation will start with funding of $750,000, Maier said.

“Hopefully I’ll be able to give back more of my personal time to the community down the road,” he said.

Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman warns homeowners to avoid falling for a roofer’s “too-good-to-be-true” offer and becoming an “April fool.”

The “fly-by-night” contractor will take a homeowner’s hard-earned money and leave without completing a roofing job or even buying the shingles, according to a news release Friday by Coffman’s spokesman Roger Hudson.

Following record snow falls in March, roofing scams are expected to increase in April and May, Hudson’s news release says. Coffman said her office fielded more than 100 complaints about possibly shady roofers in 2015.

“Many of these unlicensed roofing companies will canvas an entire neighborhood following large snow, hail, or rainstorm. They pitch a limited time ‘special offer’ and promise to do repairs that either never get done or cause real damage to a homeowner’s roof,” Coffman said.

She cautioned homeowners to do their homework and not fall for high pressure sales tactics.

“Remember, if a deal sound too good to be true… it probably is,” she said.

Coffman offered some consumer tips to avoid roofing scams:

• Never allow an uninvited contractor to inspect your roof or to contact your insurance company directly.

• Say no to contractors requesting an immediate decision.

• Contact insurer before spending a significant amount of money on a new roof.

• Arrange to have an authorized adjuster come to your home.

• Obtain at least three bids from different contractors and check each one with organizations like your local Better Business Bureau.

Bad contractors will do shoddy work, often damaging property, and delay completing the work, according to Coffman.

Roofers must provide a written contract with his contact information, give approximate dates and costs of service and identify his contractor’s surety and liability coverage insurer. Homeowners have up to 72 hours to rescind the contract.

We would like to take this opportunity to announce the opening of Dublin's newest car dealership. Cash for cars Ireland offers to buy older cars from their owners making the whole process as quick and pain free as possible. Here are the top 3 things to do when selling your car:

3.) Be brutally honest

Selling a car is a big process; you have to get your car looking nice, you have to write a…Read more

Why: Do not try and hide any problems with your car. If you pretend it's a 100-point show queen, any buyer will immediately lose trust in you when they spot all the rusts, the scrapes, the weak A/C, and every other little weakness. No matter what, your ad should include these details: Engine size/type Transmission type # of miles Any major damage Any failed parts Any positive qualities unique to your vehicle New parts you have recently installed Price and your state of negotiation Photo Credit: Garret Voight

2.) Get a bill of sale

Selling a car is a big process; you have to get your car looking nice, you have to write a…Read more

Why: The legalities of selling a car vary from state to state and can be confusing. Let's break it down. A bill of sale is not required by all states to legally transfer ownership of your car, but it makes the sale explicit by identifying what car you're selling, and conditions attached to the sale, and the agreed price. Your state may probably require you to go through the DMV. A state-by-state breakdown of what forms you need can be found online, here. Fill all this out before showing up to the DMV, lest it turn into a horror story. A bill of sale should include: Your name and address The buyer's name and address The vehicle identification number (VIN) Year, make, and model Odometer reading Purchase price Date of sale The phrase "sold as is," unless you have agreed to something else Your signature and the buyer's signature Photo Credit: Jeremy Brooks

1.) Cut the cord

Selling a car is a big process; you have to get your car looking nice, you have to write a…Read more

Why: Once you're done sobbing and drinking the pain away, you need to remove yourself emotionally from your car. You will get a better price, and you will sell your car faster, as reader ClayW explains.

As soon as you put a "For Sale" sign in the window, pretend that it's no longer your car. You can't be too particular about who wants to buy it or what their plans might be for your baby — You're going to sell it to the first person that shows up with cash for your car and then you're going to forget it. Don't hold out for the well-heeled buyer that's going to continue your restoration and/or baby your baby. Don't worry about whether or not it's going to get regularly cleaned and waxed. Don't make the guy promise to send you pictures in a year. The car is gone, man.

U.S. sales of the Nissan Rogue crossover set a monthly record of 29,246, up 26 percent, in June, Nissan said. Photo credit: DAVID PHILLIPS

Nissan, Ford, Fiat Chrysler, Hyundai-Kia and American Honda rode strong demand for trucks in posting solid sales gains in June as the U.S. auto industry rebounded from a May slump.

Industry volume rose 2.4 percent to 1.5 million new cars and light trucks — below most projections. And the seasonally adjusted annual sales rate came in at 16.68 million, below a consensus forecast of 17.2 million, and below the 17.01 million rate in June 2015 and May’s 17.46 million pace.

Automakers and analysts are counting on historically low interest rates, stable fuel prices, rising wages and near-full employment to counter some headwinds and continue driving strong auto sales in the second half of the year.

Light trucks, helped by improved fuel economy and low gasoline prices, continue to propel the U.S. market, which set a record in 2015.

“In spite of some severe stock market volatility in June, the American consumer stayed focus on buying new vehicles,” Reid Bigland, senior vice president of sales for FCA North America, said in a statement.

The Jeep brand has set a U.S. sales record in every month dating back to November 2013.Photo credit: DAVID PHILLIPS

FCA US, behind another record for Jeep and generous discounts, saw June deliveries rise 6.5 percent.

Jeep sales jumped 17 percent to 83,691 for a June record. Volume climbed 14 percent at the Ram brand and 3.1 percent at Dodge, but sales slipped 20 percent at the Chrysler brand and 19 percent at Fiat.

Fiat Chrysler’s average new-vehicle incentive in the U.S. rose 21 percent to $4,101 last month, compared with June 2015, TrueCar estimates.

American Honda Motor Co. reported sales of 138,715 for a year-over-year gain of 3.2 percent on record light truck volume for the month. Volume jumped 7.1 percent at the Honda division but slipped 27 percent at Acura.

At Kia Motors America, deliveries rose 16 percent to 62,572 vehicles — a June record. Hyundai also set a June sales record of 67,511 cars and light trucks, for a slight gain.

Sales at Volkswagen slid 22 percent to 23,809, extending the embattled brand’s losing streak to eight straight months. VW has been unable to sell new diesel models since September amid violations of U.S. emissions rules.

Audi of America notched its 66th-straight monthly U.S. sales record in June as deliveries rose 1 percent to 18,445 vehicles on a 29 percent jump in crossover sales. Among other luxury brands, volume rose 3.5 percent at Mercedes-Benz, 23 percent at Land Rover 125 percent at Jaguar and 41 percent at Volvo. At BMW, deliveries slipped for the seventh straight month, falling 10 percent in June to 28,855.

Subaru streak

Subaru set a June sales record with volume of 46,598 vehicles, an increase of 5.1 percent and the 55th consecutive month the brand has generated year over year gains.

With increased availability of the Legacy and Outback, Subaru executives expect the brand to finish the year stronger than it performed in the first six months, when volume rose 2.6 percent to 279,458 cars and light trucks.

“We can be very happy with our half-year performance which will set us up well for the second half of 2016,” said Jeff Walters, senior vice president of sales for Subaru of America.

Among major automakers, the average incentive last month rose 8.6 percent to $3,116 from $2,871 in June 2016. BMW dangled the biggest spiffs while Subaru offered the lowest discounts, TrueCar estimates.

Through June, U.S. light-vehicle demand has risen 1.4 percent, though some analysts say prospects for another record year are diminishing amid signs of weakening job growth and Brexit-spooked financial markets.

“There certainly is a higher probability of having a slightly down year than there was a month ago,” Jeff Schuster, an analyst with research firm LMC Automotive, told Bloomberg News this week. “It’s no longer just a leveling off — it’s a potential contraction in the second half of the year.”

Before U.K. citizens voted a week ago to leave the European Union, RBC Capital Markets flipped from predicting 2016 U.S. sales would top last year’s record 17.5 million vehicles to forecasting a 1 percent drop. Bank of America Merrill Lynch lopped its estimate by a half-million vehicles.

The vote in the U.K. triggered a two-day global stock market rout — the kind of event that makes car shoppers less confident about their finances. U.S. equity markets have rebounded this week.

Some analysts also believe a rise in inventories of late-model, off-lease used vehicles could pull shoppers away from new cars and light trucks in coming months.

That rise – powered by an increase in leasing that began about three years ago – is expected to accelerate in the second half and continue for several years.

One of Central Pennsylvania’s newest public-company leaders is poised to become one of the region’s newest residents.

Don Maier, president and CEO of newly launched Armstrong Flooring Inc., on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on April 6. – (Photo/Submitted)

Don Maier is president and CEO of Armstrong Flooring Inc., which separated over the last week from Armstrong World Industries Inc. Although Maier has been an executive atArmstrong World since 2010, he has been living outside Cincinnati with his wife, Susan, and two daughters.

“That’s a long commute,” said Maier.

The Ohio native stayed put because he had accepted what was then a three-year assignment. And because of his role in company operations, he was often traveling anyway.

Six years later, after his younger daughter graduates high school, Maier and his wife will be moving to a home they bought in Manheim Township, he said. His older daughter attends the University of Cincinnati, where she is studying graphic design.

“My career obviously has changed now and I’m much less of a road warrior,” Maier said. “I look forward to being able to have dinner with my family and being home.”

He’s also looking forward to sampling what Lancaster County has to offer. “It’s been exciting to see the Lancaster area evolve over the last six years,” he said. “I think the downtown area and all of the improvements that have been made down there, it’s a real exciting place.”

Maier spoke to the Business Journal on April, the day he rang the closing bell on the New York Stock Exchange. Shares in Armstrong Flooring began trading April 4.

Based in Manheim Township, Lancaster County, Armstrong Flooring has 3,700 employees and annual revenue of about $1.2 billion. Competitors include Georgia-based Shaw Industries Group Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company, which reportedly has more than $4 billion in annual sales, and Georgia-based Mohawk Industries, which has roughly $8 billion in annual sales.

Hit the floor running

Before the separation, Maier was CEO of Armstrong’s flooring division. He’s excited to lead it as a standalone company.

“This is sort of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” he said. “It’s just such an honor to be in this position, to be in a brand-new startup company that has a 150-year legacy behind it.”

It’s not an easy position. Like many companies in the business of construction and building products, Armstrong took a hit during the downturn and is looking for more solid footing.

Maier’s goal is to spur revenue growth through product innovation and improved service to the people and companies that sell Armstrong products.

“When I went into this role a little over a year ago as the CEO before we separated, what I really found was a business that had great assets, great brands, great products but was not really driving the top line like it needed to,” he said.

Recent innovations include new vinyl flooring products with cultured diamonds incorporated in the surface coating. The diamonds increase durability and resistance to scratching. Marketed as Diamond10, the coating also is designed to repel liquids.

“Were very excited about that,” Maier said, noting that the coating is likely to be applied to other kinds of flooring. “You’ll see Diamond10 on wood products, tile products, sheet products.”

Valuing relationships

But Armstrong also is focused on shoring up relations with independent retailers and distributors. They represent the remaining 60 percent of sales for the industry.

“We see a lot of opportunities by serving that channel much better than we have,” Maier said, noting in particular the value of relationships between distributors and retailers.

“That’s a real, I think, competitive advantage,” he said. “The Shaws and Mohawks of the world are primarily direct-sales model. We like the penetration and the relationships that the distributors bring.”

But independent retailers can take time to explain to customers the value of Armstrong products, Maier said. “It’s difficult to do in a big-box environment where there’s a fairly low touch with sales.”

The long commute and responsibilities related to the corporate separation have kept Maier from community involvement. But he expects to do more as time goes on.

In the meantime, he said, the new company is creating a foundation, similar to the existingArmstrong World Industries Foundation established in 1985. The Armstrong Flooring Foundation will start with funding of $750,000, Maier said.

“Hopefully I’ll be able to give back more of my personal time to the community down the road,” he said.

Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman warns homeowners to avoid falling for a roofer’s “too-good-to-be-true” offer and becoming an “April fool.”

The “fly-by-night” contractor will take a homeowner’s hard-earned money and leave without completing a roofing job or even buying the shingles, according to a news release Friday by Coffman’s spokesman Roger Hudson.

Following record snow falls in March, roofing scams are expected to increase in April and May, Hudson’s news release says. Coffman said her office fielded more than 100 complaints about possibly shady roofers in 2015.

“Many of these unlicensed roofing companies will canvas an entire neighborhood following large snow, hail, or rainstorm. They pitch a limited time ‘special offer’ and promise to do repairs that either never get done or cause real damage to a homeowner’s roof,” Coffman said.

She cautioned homeowners to do their homework and not fall for high pressure sales tactics.

“Remember, if a deal sound too good to be true… it probably is,” she said.

Coffman offered some consumer tips to avoid roofing scams:

• Never allow an uninvited contractor to inspect your roof or to contact your insurance company directly.

• Say no to contractors requesting an immediate decision.

• Contact insurer before spending a significant amount of money on a new roof.

• Arrange to have an authorized adjuster come to your home.

• Obtain at least three bids from different contractors and check each one with organizations like your local Better Business Bureau.

Bad contractors will do shoddy work, often damaging property, and delay completing the work, according to Coffman.

Roofers must provide a written contract with his contact information, give approximate dates and costs of service and identify his contractor’s surety and liability coverage insurer. Homeowners have up to 72 hours to rescind the contract.

We would like to take this opportunity to announce the opening of Dublin’s newest car dealership. Cash for cars Ireland offers to buy older cars from their owners making the whole process as quick and pain free as possible. Here are the top 3 things to do when selling your car:

3.) Be brutally honest

Selling a car is a big process; you have to get your car looking nice, you have to write a…Read more

Why: Do not try and hide any problems with your car. If you pretend it’s a 100-point show queen, any buyer will immediately lose trust in you when they spot all the rusts, the scrapes, the weak A/C, and every other little weakness.

No matter what, your ad should include these details:

Engine size/type
Transmission type
# of miles
Any major damage
Any failed parts
Any positive qualities unique to your vehicle
New parts you have recently installed
Price and your state of negotiation

2.) Get a bill of sale

Selling a car is a big process; you have to get your car looking nice, you have to write a…Read more

Why: The legalities of selling a car vary from state to state and can be confusing. Let’s break it down.

A bill of sale is not required by all states to legally transfer ownership of your car, but it makes the sale explicit by identifying what car you’re selling, and conditions attached to the sale, and the agreed price.

Your state may probably require you to go through the DMV. A state-by-state breakdown of what forms you need can be found online, here. Fill all this out before showing up to the DMV, lest it turn into a horror story.

A bill of sale should include:
Your name and address
The buyer’s name and address
The vehicle identification number (VIN)
Year, make, and model
Odometer reading
Purchase price
Date of sale
The phrase “sold as is,” unless you have agreed to something else
Your signature and the buyer’s signature

1.) Cut the cord

Selling a car is a big process; you have to get your car looking nice, you have to write a…Read more

Why: Once you’re done sobbing and drinking the pain away, you need to remove yourself emotionally from your car. You will get a better price, and you will sell your car faster, as reader ClayW explains.

As soon as you put a “For Sale” sign in the window, pretend that it’s no longer your car. You can’t be too particular about who wants to buy it or what their plans might be for your baby — You’re going to sell it to the first person that shows up with cash for your car and then you’re going to forget it.

Don’t hold out for the well-heeled buyer that’s going to continue your restoration and/or baby your baby. Don’t worry about whether or not it’s going to get regularly cleaned and waxed. Don’t make the guy promise to send you pictures in a year.

You can find Cashforcarsireland.com at their location listed in the map above and remember that theyalso offer a we buy any car service that can be very helpful when looking for a quick and hassel free way to sell your car.